5 comments about The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World.

1. A friend recommended The Ghost Map, and I can see why. Steven Johnson is a writer who keeps one's interest even while he describes horrifying sanitary (or lack of) conditions in London slums in 1854 which ultimately led to a cholera epidemic and the death of hundreds of people. Two men, John Snow and Alfred Whitehorse, were ultimately responsible for tracing the outbreak to a contaminated public pump and for changing the prevailing scientific attitude from the spread of disease by miasma to water.



2. the book has a large scatch on the back, but it's fine because it doesn't affect reading.



3. This book tells the story of the London doctors who discovered that cholera was spread by polluted water, rather than via noxious air as was commonly believed. It also tells how unwilling proponents of the noxious air theory were to objectively view the water-borne evidence, indeed how they openly disparaged (even attacked) the data and it's authors.
   
   This book and others like it should be required reading for pin-headed politicians (I won't name names), although I doubt that these lessons will do them any good. For the rest of us, we should learn to not be so absolute in our judgement. History is full of examples of those whose opinions were so firmly anchored (incorrectly it turns out) they refused to see the truth in front of them.



4. The springboard for Steven Johnson's book, The Ghost Map, is the 1854 London cholera epidemic, but the pool that he dives into from this jumping off point is both deep and broad.
   
   The cholera epidemic of 1854 is fascinating in and of itself, and many aficionados of medical history will recall that it was the setting of one of the most dramatic moments in public health history: an epidemic was brought to a halt by the simple removal of the pump handle on the Broad Street well that supplied the stricken London neighborhood. The ferocity of an epidemic that swept entire families away in two or three days is presented in horrifying detail, but this book is far more fascinating than just another plague story. Johnson's credentials in science writing are solid and impressive, having written for Wired, Slate, and Discover Magazine, as well as having published several books. In Ghost Map, he flexes his literary muscle with potent effect. Johnson's mind is a "big tent" mind, and The Ghost Map is a three ring circus of intellectual ferment, with the final product being far more thought-provoking and informative than a "bug versus human, human conquers bug" tale.
   
   Johnson is a fan of scalable levels of knowing, and is never satisfied with a simple listing of dates, times, and names. Think rather this way: bacteria (such as the vibrio cholerae) evolved early on. More complex unicellular organisms came later, but actually incorporated bacteria inside their cell membranes to provide certain functions (such as mitochondria). These more complex cellular organisms became multi-cellular. Multi-cellular organisms eventually (in the plant and animal world) developed organs. Humans eventually came on the scene, composed of cells, organs, neuro and hormonal networks, and consciousness. Humans began to live together, forming simple gatherings, then hamlets, villages, towns, cities, and mega-cities. As cities and mega-cities evolved, their function clearly demonstrated yet another scaled up level of organization: cities/mega-cities began to function like organisms...or maybe ARE organisms. Cities combine into states/nations, and up the scale we go to the Margulis/Lovelock Gaia concept, and even beyond. All to say that starting with the tiny little organism that causes fatal illness in the untreated victim, vibrio cholerae, Johnson takes the reader on eye-popping, cerebrum stretching exploration of where we humans have been, and where we might be going. The author never lets the reader forget the overlapping and interweaving levels of effects and influences that all the above organisms and quasi-organisms have upon one another. Two million people inhabited London in 1854, with population densities sometimes exceeding 400 people per acre. States Johnson "that perplexity gave rise to an intuitive sense that the city itself was best understood as a creature with its own distinct form of volition, greater than the sum of its parts, a monster, a diseased body."
   
   The title, The Ghost Map, is a prelude to Johnson's fascination with the ability of maps to organize knowledge into ever more comprehensible patterns, patterns that vastly supersede in sophistication and utility the simple specification of geographic location. Johnson's discussion of this topic alone would have satisfied me that I got my money's worth out of this excellent book, but the importance of maps is only one topic among many that would have made me feel equally satisfied. Dive into this pool of ideas ready to have more than a few take-your-breath-away moments.



5. "You and I may not live to see the day...and my name may be forgotten when it comes; but the time will arrive when great outbreaks of cholera will be things of the past; and it is the knowledge of the way in which the disease is propagated which will cause them to disappear." (John Snow to Henry Whitehead, p181)
   
   I had heard the story about how John Snow essentially invented epidemiology by tracing cholera deaths to the Broad Street Pump in London, after which he removed the pump handle and the epidemic ended. Johnson shows us that so much more was at work. While John Snow was trying to figure out the source of the epidemic, a local clergyman was doing his own research, and the health board leaders were doing research to support their own - faulty - claims about airborne causes. Johnson demonstrates not only the process of discovery but the challenging politics around trying to convince key leaders to remove the pump handle. Just as interesting are the implications for public health and city planning even up until the present. Johnson creates a very human, passionate narrative around all of this non-fiction, filled with nuggets (as when John Snow administered Queen Elizabeth's anesthesia for one of her childbirths). I completely recommend this important book: It wasn't a pure page-turner, but it was interesting and it felt important. Another great public health related book, written for younger readers, is An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 (Newbery Honor Book), by Jim Murphy. Ghost Map captures much more of the interconnectedness of the different sectors of society, though.
   
   I listened to the unabridged audiobook narrated by Alan Sklar. Good narration.
   
   Note on objectionable content: Occasional non-Sunday School language when referring to London's problem of disposing of human excrement.
   
   Here is an excerpt from the New York Times Sunday Book Review:
   
   His book is a formidable gathering of small facts and big ideas, and the narrative portions are particularly strong, informed by real empathy for both his named and his nameless characters, flawed only sporadically by portentousness and small stylistic lapses. ... Johnson's account of the 1854 epidemic, along with the meditation on cities that he extrapolates from it, doesn't need to call attention to its own cleverness. "The Ghost Map" is elegantly sufficient, without that, to get readers to do some thinking on their own. - David Quammen, A Drink of Death, New York Times Sunday Book Review, 12 Nov 2006.

5 comments about A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide).

1. Unfortunately this book is more like a cookbook for plants that one would find in a forest. Although it has a good deal of breadth I feel like it is more for the little house on the prairie experience than the Bear Grylls style existence.



2. Although this book was published in 1977 it is probably one of the better books in regards to organization and formatting. This book almost never fails to have some information on edible plants that I am curious about. If you are new to learning about edible plants please don't rely on this book or any other single book to identify a plant before you eat it!!! Other reviews about this book bash it because of its age and line drawings but the drawings should be looked at as an initial visual to assist in making sure you are identifying the plant correctly. Plants organized by flower color which is great for quick field identification. Has 15 color plates for some common plants totaling about 75 color pictures. Someone teaching themselves about edible plants should own numerous books with good color photos and defining characters to cross reference to be sure you are collecting what you think your collecting. Furthermore, some books, like this one, contain wrong information copied from others such as the tubers of Water Lilies (Nymphaea species) being edible (pg. 22) when according to other resources they are poisonous. In any case, here are the things I like about it: 1) no matter what time of year you can go to the "Finding Edible Plants" section in the back and look up common edible plants by habitat and season. 2) There is also a food uses section so if you want to make a spice for example you can go to the "Seasonings/Condiments" section and find plants by season 3) Each plant account gives brief but informative information about the plant such as scientific name, distinguishing characters, uses, warnings, where it is found, when it flowers, edible parts and the season for the edible parts. This book initiated my interest in edible plants. It is full of useful information and I recommend this book for anyone interested in edible plants.



3. I bought this book to use as field guide thinking it would be able to use quite easily but was quickly dissapointed. For starters the pics are all drawings, and not that great, you honestly cannot use a drawing of a plant to indentify it because so many plants look similar the leaves and the flowers can look a lot of like the color is what is different and this book limits the colors, some pic depict leaves as large when the are infact small, vice versa, buy a book with color pictures, I could identify 50% of plants with this book due to black and white illustration just to much of a pain to use really..



4. Bought this for my wife for christmas. We go hiking and this would be fun to try to find the plants together. I looked through the book ant it look sreally great. Of course the true test will come when my wife gets it.



5. I'm really disappointed with this book. The black and white pictures aren't hardly as detailed as they should be for such poor, colorless representation of the plants. How in the WORLD am I supposed to accurately spot edible wild plants when the drawings are so lame?! I'm not stupid, I know how to utilize a book to my best advantage, and at most I would say you could use this book as a cross-reference but this would not be the only book I would take with me while foraging. I initially had doubts about this book when I looked at the negative reviews, but was optimistic. Now I wish I had chosen another book. Lame Lame Lame.

1 comments about Fodor's London 2010 (Full-Color Gold Guides).

1. Fodor's is of course one of the best travel books available. The sections are divided nicely and provide a lot of info that will help me prepare for my trip. Highly recommended.

5 comments about US Rolled Map (M Series World Wall Maps).

1. I LOVE that I found this on Amazon! I had gone to a "teacher store" and the US Map there was $23.00!! WHAT?!?! So when I saw this one at such a fantastic price I was very excited! I ordered the World Map, too. Nice, big size, and nice colors. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I wish it was laminated.



2. The map is very good quality and a good size. Perfect to have in any room.



3. This map is a bargain for the sheer size and detail (seriously, how many US maps put Hayward and Fremont, CA on them?). Whereas other maps I've owned are quite dull, the colors used to differentiate the states are quite vibrant and make this map actually enjoyable to look at.



4. The wall map of the US arrived in a large packing tube, in very good condition. Exactly what my husband wanted for marking the places we have been.



5. An inexpensive map for family room wall and used as a preliminary guide of directions, distance and points of interest. This map does not clearly highlight the major highways and cities that makes it less useful for travel planning.

5 comments about World Atlas of Wine.

1. I bought this book for my cousin's 60th birthday. She lives in Tacoma (I'm in AZ) and she owns a wine shop. Her husband and her love to discover different wines throughout the world that they can introduce to their patrons. Upon receiving her present, she immediately called me with an enthusiastic THANK YOU!! She LOVES this book.
   I know this book must be terrific if she says it is so!
   I am looking forward in visiting her this summer and i look forward in seeing The world Atlas of Wine myself!



2. As someone who appreciates wine and always wants to learn more, I have learned the importance of geography as it applies to wine making. The more I learn about wine and geography, the more I understand the flavors and textures that I experience when tasting. The World Atlas of Wine has helped me to close the knowledge gap (as much as can be possible with a commodity that is constantly evolving).
   
   From a purely aesthetic angle, the book is outstanding. It is cloth bound and the pages are glossy yet readable. The full color photographs are numerous, the maps are useful, the labels plentiful, the text is formatted like an encyclopedia. It looks lovely on a coffee table and that's where you should keep it. Out. Where you and your guests will reach for it.
   
   The content is something you can read about from the other reviewers so I won't be able to say anything new. But I would like to summarize that it has a good section about wine making that you can read as you would any text - in order. Then the rest of the book is broken up into regions and sub regions in a well organized manner. You can peruse that part of the book in whatever order you like. The index is thorough. And I can't say enough about how useful I find the maps to be.
   
   I do wish there was more New World content but I feel that is a minor complaint considering how much higher I regard the usefulness of this book to the others in my wine collection.



3. This is an excellent book for both the novice wine lover as well as the more sophisticated one.



4. This book is amazing... It is a perfect coffee table, encyclopedia, textbook, or gift for anyone that has ever picked up a glass of wine and wanted to know a little more. It has beautiful pictures and is so informative. It is a gift I wished I had actually bought for myself.



5. a must have for anyone truely interested in wine. grab a bottle of wine and sit back and learn where that bottle came from, anywhere in the world. great maps of all fine regions of wine.

5 comments about Best Travel Activity Book Ever (Backseat Books).

1. 
   I've purchased three of the books in this series, one for each of our children for our upcoming trip. Of the three (Kid's Road Atlas, Are We There Yet, and the Best Travel Activity Book Ever), this one is the most like a coloring book (basic black and white pages) and the thickest (most pages)
   
   Highlights:
   
   *Lots of dot-to-dot--some color by number, mazes, spot the differences, drawing, and puzzles that answer a riddle. The book would be good for 5 and up....some reading skills (or someone helping who can read) would be required for parts.
   
   *This book would work for a broad variety of ages...my five-year old would need some help, but would enjoy it, some parts would be too simplistic for my 7 and 9 year olds, though they would enjoy other parts. Probably best for 5-7 I'd say.
   
   *Crayons required...not just pencil.
   
   *Good value for the $...more engaging than just a plain old coloring book. Some educational value in there...but mostly just fun.



2. The book is great, but be sure to order it at least two months before you travel. I ordered mine one month in advance, and received it only upon returning from our trip. Too bad; we'll store it until our next trip, or use it as a regular activity notebook.



3. I got these for my 3 and 6 year old. They are full of activities that both of them can do. There are lots of mazes, coloring activities, and puzzles for them to do.



4. I bought this as a "going away" gift for my 7 year old nephew so he would have some non-video game entertainment on his flight to England. He immediately started in on the puzzles and really seemed to enjoy it. The only thing that would make this activity book better is if it was spiral bound to make it easier to color and work on the puzzles.



5. I got this for my 3 1/2 year old and 5 year old. It's great for the 5 year old, but too challenging for a non-reader to figure out on their own (and it's that the point of a travel book?) Even my 5 year old needs explanation on some of the activities, but she's only beginning to read. Overall, a great activity book, but will best occupy a child that reads.

5 comments about Rand McNally 2010 the Road Atlas: United States / Canada / Mexico (Rand Mcnally Road Atlas: United States, Canada, Mexico).

1. Each year, I buy one of these atlases. First, I want to have a Rand McNally Atlas in my car as a ready reference source. Second, I want to stay as current as I can, since roadways change over time. Third, the new features (online and GPS) add a solid component to the whole package. Fourth, I want my son to have an up-to-date atlas when he takes one of his long trips (I get the hand me down atlases, so I do update each year as I inherit his old atlases!).
   
   This atlas has maps of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I like the feature in which maps show especially scenic routes. This atlas has a "Best of the Road" feature, indicating routes that are scenic but that also feature good places to eat and so on. Through the web site, one can determine what roads are under construction.
   
   But the thing I most enjoy about such atlases is the firing of one's imagination. Even when I was a kid, I would trace cross-country trips, to encompass places I really wanted to see. It was an adjunct to my geography classes! And I still enjoy looking at states (or provinces) and imagining how I might get from one place to another, while maximizing the cool places that I could visit in the process.
   
   In short, this is a terrific product, to my mind, and I am happy to make the acquaintance of the 2010 addition to the series--before it goes into my son's hands!



2. I found this atlas to be very well done with good detail and great graphics. It is a very good value



3. forget the Tom Tom!!! how many times is that worthless thing wrong...
   this Atlas is a must and I never leave home without it!!
   it's great and dependable!!



4. Rand McNally Road Atlases are a product with consistent quality and I have been relying on Rand McNally to guide me from place to place for more than twenty years. This road atlas has always come through for me, providing complete and clear maps indicating the different highways, cities large and small, and various points of interest to be found as you travel across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
   
   Rand McNally includes maps for each of the U.S. states. Some of the more heavily populated states have multiple pages, due to their large number of roads, cities, etc. But even with the less populous states, Rand McNally's Road Atlas includes loads of information. The guide shows much more than roads- it also indicates counties, parks, historic sites, etc., along with other useful information to make travel more efficient. Mileage charts, a quick state summary that indicates the state's nickname, land area, population, largest city, a "Best of the Road" red ribbon to indicate roadways that offer great scenery, dining, and shopping, and small, close- up maps of the state's major cities and national parks are among the extras that you get with this road atlas.
   
   What I like best about Rand McNally's road atlas is its use of contrasting colors and words to indicate the different places on the map. Considering all of the information contained on these maps, one would assume that they are cluttered to the point where they would be unreadable. But this isn't the case at all and the reason is because of Rand McNally's use of contrast. Each item, whether it's an interstate highway, national park, county name, or something else, is labeled in its own unique way so that it becomes distinguished from everything else on the page. For example, the county names are printed in orange and the county lines are indicated with a dashed orange line. If you focus on these, you will distinctly notice them and have no trouble finding the. Now, take you focus off the counties and focus instead on the roads. It is almost as if the county lines and county names are no longer there. This method of contrasting works beautifully. It allows thousands of pieces of data to be presented on the same page without everything blending together.
   
   I use my Rand McNally Road Atlas for many purposes. Besides looking for different travel routes, one fun thing to do with the family is to pull out the road atlas and look for a new place to visit. It is often surprising to find points of interest right in your local area- places like a nearby National Wildlife Refuge, state historic site, or other point of interest that receives little or no publicity. There is no worry about getting lost. The maps contain so many pieces of information- from number of highway lanes, to rest areas, to mileage distances between cities- that you need not worry in any way.
   
   I have used other road atlases and found them acceptable, but I always come back to Rand McNally in the end. The overload of travel information and the excellent contrast make Rand McNally the best in its class.



5. This map book is the best for overseas travellers. Every trip that we have had to the states we buy a current map book and it is always a Rand McNally. We are from Western Australia.

1 comments about Mapping the World: Stories of Geography.

1. Although I believe this book is intended for a young audience, I is incredibly thought-provoking, creative, and innovative, but above all accessible. I bought this for a nephew and then turned around and got one for myself.

5 comments about World Rolled Map (M Series World Wall Maps).

1. I found this map to be a good value for its price. I posted it up on a blank wall and it draws several people each day originally from different countries in Africa, Europe, and states in the US looking for and pointing out to others their homeland.



2. It came shipped well in it's original wrapping and in a long box. It's paper, but you can always frame it or get it laminated. It's perfect for little kids to read and it's a great piece of artwork you can hang in their room, too.



3. I'm no map expert, but I thought this map was great, particularly for the price. Nice large size for putting on the wall. I just wanted something to help me out when different countries are mentioned in the news, since my geography has never been the best, and this works perfectly. Highly recommended.



4. This map is really worth every penny. It is large, beautifully printed, and goes fine on a classroom or office wall.



5. This map is better than I expected. At only 5.00 it's a total bargain. It's beautiful in color and a great addition to the wall.

5 comments about When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes.

1. Cody Lundin's 98.6 degrees takes every other survival book I've ever read and blows it right out of the water. The concepts are so simple, yet amazingly important. His writing style is very accessible too. This is the first survival book I've ever read that's actually fun to read! The book has a good flow, has awesome art and photography, and is quite humorous while still telling you exactly what you need to know. Highly recommended.



2. The only reason I gave it a 1 is because I couldn't give it a zero. Poorly written with basic information your average 13 year old knows. Do not waist time buying this book. I've read over 50 books of this type and this is by far the worst.



3. While nothing is definitive these days and nothing really can prepare you for what you may go through in a crisis, at least you will have a head start. If you are looking for a list of what you need or an excuse to stockpile ammo in the next two years this is not the book for you. I think the first chapters are essential for realizing that the most important thing you can remember from this book is to keep a positive attitude and that going it alone might be hell on your nerves and body. The way the information was presented at times to me seemed a little preachy or even self righteous but it was clear and entertaining to follow. I have become more interested in some specific topics this book covers. You may find yourself missing information but I think the point of this book was to jump start your quest to find the rest and be self reliant. It is not a tell all on how to survive the Apocalypse, to which I am relieved. Even in the first few chapters the vibe is geared toward understanding, community and self reliance, if everyone portrayed such traits there may be no need for the title. But every segment covers some neat info that might save your ass should something happen.



4. Lots of repetition but does have a nice list of things to have in a disaster and which disaster to plan what products for.



5. I give this book a rating between 3 - 4 stars based on content. I give it a 2 star based on organization and ease of reading. In my opinion, the information "keywords" aren't arranged in an easy-to-find format especially if you are really in a "When All Hell Breaks Loose" situation.
   
   The book "When All Hell Breaks Loose: Staff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes; is informative from the standpoint that any new information to you, is new information. Conversely, any old information to you, is old information. General wisdom then is that this book like many other "survival books" cannot contain everything you would like to know about survival. It is likey some of the information will be old stuff that seem like fillers, and worse; information with too little detail or just a cursory note seems just glazed over statements.
   
   This book has both fillers and glaze over stuff that isn't very helpful. On the other hand some stuff are never-heard-of-before so makes very interesting reading.
   
   Since I particularly seek out novel and improvished survival techniques using common, easily obtained materials from urban life or if it were in the rough, materials from nature. Learning how to open a can of tuna by grinding it into a brick wall using a hand-pressed circular motion is fabulous, or reassuring that your simple two-burner Coleman propane stove can really be a great substitute when you don't have a electric stove. Burying your dead relative or lover can be applied to your pet dog too, and methods of making # 2 without toilet paper are in my bin of interesting stuff to know.
   
   Overall, you're not in Hell you probably will enjoy this book to curl up with on a dark, and stormy night. However if you're in the moment of HELL breaking loose, this wouldn't be the ideal quick-reference book. Don't misunderstand, I think this book is good reference to have in your library. It's just not arranged for quick-reference. Probably the idea is to read and learn all you can while times are good so by the time the real HELL breaks loose, all the information is in your mind instead of in the book tucked inside your backpack. Since we can't have it all, I consider the overall content vs. lack of ease of reading attributes of this book in deciding.
   And your level of exposure and knowledge to survival techniques.